Month: June 2018

Bio

Penelope Kokkinides is a leading female figure with substantial influence in the healthcare industry. Over the years, she has portrayed immense leadership skills in the sector. Some of the factors that have contributed to her influence include her skills and education. Kokkinides studied at the University of Binghamton where she graduated with a bachelors in classical languages and biological sciences. Later on, she joined the University of New York where she studied for her masters degree in public health and social work.

The education background has significantly influenced her innovative and entrepreneurial endeavors. Kokkinides has acquired much experience from her Medicare work and other government programs for several years. Ms. Penelope Kokkinides serves as the Chief Administrative Office at InnovaCare Health Solution since August 2016. From 2006 to 2012, she had held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Aveta Inc.

Kokkinides had also served as the CEO of Touchstone Health HMO Inc., from 2008. Prior to joining InnovaCare Health Solution, Ms. Penelope Kokkinides had also worked as the Corporate Vice President for Care Management and Disease Management at AmeriChoice. While working there, she was essential in the development and implementation of a healthcare model.

Contributions towards Resolving Puerto Rico Healthcare Crisis

InnovaCare Inc. is one of the leading Medicare Advantage and Medicaid organization involved in the provision of healthcare-related services within Puerto Rico. As the Chief Administrative Office for InnovaCare, Ms. Kokkinides was among eight women invited to the White House for the Women in Healthcare Panel.

At the White House, Ms. Kokkinides met with President Donald Trump and the current CMS Administrator Seema Verma. Apart from the general federal healthcare legislation, Ms. Penelope Kokkinides highlighted the issues affecting the healthcare sector in Puerto Rice under her leadership.

Specifically, Ms. Kokkinides highlighted the importance of increasing the money allocated to finance Medicare Advantage within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Unlike in the other States, the federal funding for the Medicare Advantage in Puerto Rico has declined by a greater amount, estimated at $1 billion annually.

During the meeting, Ms. Kokkinides reiterated the importance of fixing the disproportionate cuts of funding for Medicare Advantage in Puerto Rico. In the statement, the innovative leader observed that if the Medicaid program collapses in Puerto Rico, a substantial population of the Island would be forced to migrate to the States.

Such migration would increase the cost of the program in the States by three to four times. In response to her proposal, president Trump made provisions that would favor the healthcare systems of Puerto Rico.

Michael Hagele is a general counsel for technology firms in industries like aerospace, internet, defense, and biotechnology. He bases his investments in technology firms that are in their early stages of development. He is also the founder of some hospitality and restaurant businesses. He puts much effort so that he can negotiate, draft, and close different agreements in the telecommunication field both domestically and internationally.

Michael Hagele has taken care of commercial agreements, many commercial transactions, and academic property rights. However, in the past, Michael Hagele was a home lawyer and he served as the general legal counsel; or for investment capital firms. He was able to take care of the corporate governance, mergers, employment, and many other matters. He attained his law degree from the University of California in Berkeley. Visit at Whitepages.com to learn more

He came up with the idea of starting his own practice after working as an independent attorney for a company. He then realized the small practices he offered served his clients better. He learned the approach made it easier for him to offer affordable legal services to his technology customers and they were of high quality.

Michael starts his day by going through his daily tasks. He then handles some general matters, counseling, and intellectual assets issues as the first activities. Later he makes contracts like technology licensing agreements. Later in the afternoon, he rides his bike to refresh his mind. By doing this, he is able to come up with the best ideas and he is able to develop some solution to the problems. When he returns to his office, he is able to concentrate on his work rather than starring at his office desk all day.

In the evening and afternoon hours, he is able to deal with any issue that a client might bring up. He is able to offer some solutions to the clients immediately. Later he spends some time with his partners in the foreign investment sector to discuss the best strategies.

Some of the worst injustices that involved violation of human rights recently happened in the state of Arizona. The violations were administered over by the Former Sheriff of Maricopa County- Joe Arpaio.

The worst part about it is that despite all the crimes he committed against immigrants, he has never had to answer charges of committing the crimes. Any attempt made to charge him is thwarted by the government agencies mandated to push charges against him.

He recently earned a pardon from the highest office in the currently – the presidency. President Trump saw nothing he had committed and decided to pardon him.

Joe Arpaio is now a free man after the pardon even after two decades of using an iron fist rule to govern the county. Arpaio who served as the Sheriff for six terms is seen to have used the anti-immigration campaigns to win the sit on the Sheriff numerous times.

He won the hearts of the majority conservatives in the county thereby securing his win since 1992. He was defeated for the first time in 2017. It seemed like the much-awaited fall of Arpaio had finally arrived by President Trump was to save the day for the 85 years old former drugs enforcement officer.

In his term as the Sheriff, he oversaw mistreatment of immigrants through torture and even killing of immigrants, in his popular concentration camps such as the Tent City, he made the lives of the immigrants unbearable.

The concentration camps lacked a supply of basic human needs such as food and water. Temperatures in the camps would rise to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. This is one of the worst things to ever occur to the immigrants.

His actions became clear to everyone in the country. He was angered by the action of the two journalists to expose him and started a ploy to have them arrested. In October 2007, the two journalists were arrested and taken behind bars in the concentration camps owned by Arpaio. Read more: Jim Larkin | Crunchbase and Michael Lacey | Crunchbase

They were later released the following day after a huge outcry from the media channels in the country. Larkin and Lacey did not take the case lying down. They took him to court where the county was charged $3.75 million as compensation for crimes committed on them.

In April 2018. Lacey and Larkin were arrested again. This time, it seems like the government of President Trump is out to finish them by pressing for money laundering charges against the journalists for running a website known as Backpage.com.

They had already sold the website in 2017, and the arrest comes on the backdrop of another website they launched in 2017 known as “Front Page Confidential.”

Alex Pall is a colleague of Andrew Taggart in the band called Chainsmokers. The duo recently released a track that has hit the masses called “Closer.” They featured with the famous artist Halsey. Alex Pall and his friend have also succeeded in producing more single tracks in the recent past, which are already gaining momentum in being featured on radio shows. Most artists sing their songs unlike for DJs who rely on the songwriters and vocalists to make their songs have some human element. For Alex Pall, though a Dj has decided to personalize their brand by doing it all on their own. They have a vision of being recognized, identified in the music industry, and build a clean name. They aim to keep evolving as their audience also grows.

Alex Pall grew upin the field of Dj-ing. At that time, it was a hobby to him though at some point it paying his bills. During these times, he encountered a manager who introduced him to Drew. They met, talked, and agreed to begin working together. What made the two connect is the fact that they shared similar visions and dreams. Again, everyone had unique gifts in him or her that they would complement each other. For example, Drew was a talented producer while Alex was a Dj gig. They could meet any time and begin working ensuring that they finish the projects on time. With time, it grew to be an adventure that is more passionate that both enjoyed.

Theduo expresses their feelings through the songs. That is why Alex Pall clarifies that they do not entirely rely on songwriter though they engage them at some point. He says that they generate the lyrics of the songs. It helps the audience in identifying with them in a personal way. Alex Pall expressed his gratitude for being in collaboration with Halsey. He pointed that she was among the artists that they would have loved to work with and that was a dream fulfilled. He added that Halsey is unique and refreshing in how shehandles music. She is real and has a very strong vocal.

Whitney Wolfe is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bubble, an online dating application that focuses on women empowerment. Before embarking on her solo project, Wolfe was the co-founder and Vice President of Marketing at Tinder, a popular dating app. While at Tinder, the idea of creating women empowered dating platform began to formulate when she realized how the app expected men to make the first move. Bubble app sought to reverse the roles and dynamics dictated by Tinder.

The approach used by Bubble dating app has propelled it to popularity having over 30 million downloads in the country. Wolfe’s efforts in integrating her women empowerment convictions in the app made it stand out above other dating apps by providing a platform where women would feel protected and empowered.

This has propelled it from just an ordinary dating startup app to the most popular dating service in the United States. The app is currently valued at $1 billion. Bubble dating app has gone the extra mile by adding Bubble BFF and Bubble Biz features. Bubble BFF allows users to establish romantic relationships while Bubble Biz enables business connections to be created. These innovations have the app on course to become a globally recognized social network. Whitney Wolfe’s success in business can be traced back to her college years where she studied at Southern Methodist University majoring in International Studies. Her time at SMU demonstrated her talent in innovation through her endeavors where she was able to partner with Patrick Aufdenkamp, a celebrity stylist, to come up with a non-profit project called ‘Help Us.’ Moreover, she partnered with Aufdenkamp again too create a clothing line called Tender Heart. The line was dedicated to providing awareness on fair trade and human trafficking.

It became a success having received positive reviews from buyers. After her college years,Whitney Wolfe joined a startup project called Cardify which never got off the ground. In 2012, she joined a dating startup which began to gain popularity due to the features it offered. Wolfe played a significant role in the startup in its rise to fame. Later on, the app was given the name Tinder and had risen to top all dating apps in the country. Wolfe was promoted to Vice President of Marketing and was influential during those early years.

Even with her success in business,Whitney Wolfe still found time to pursue her relationship with Michael Herd whom she met on a skiing trip in 2013. The two began dating after keeping in touch and got engaged after two years. They got married in Italy at a town called Positano.

The Trabuco was a game changer, a siege weapon capable of knocking down walls. Fortifications were key to protection back in those times. A retreating army could take shelter and hold position for quite some time. The only way to advance forward would be to target a weak spot, most notably the wooden door leading into the keep, and that would always be a prime defense point. Not anymore.

Siege weapons could knock down the surrounding walls, allowing an army to penetrate at any point along the standing fortifications. Romans developed the catapult to do this, but history always sees an innovation finding its replacement in a better design. It would be the fate of the catapult, and eventually the Trabuco. Eventually it would be replaced by the advent of firearms in the Sixteenth Century.

The origins of the weapon date back to 400 BC China according to pt.bab.la. Chinese armies used it to destroy fortifications, as well as spread disease by hurling dead bodies. The breech weapon’s simple design, fewer working parts, extended range, heft, and accuracy made it superior to the Roman catapult. Through trade the Trabuco was eventually brought to the middle east, where the Arabs improved its design. They added an extra weight to improve range. It would remain in use hear, becoming very affective during the Crusades. This is where Europe would first get a taste of the Trabuco. Not wanting to be outdone, Europeans would begin designing their own Trabucos to countermand the ones in use by the Arabs. Richard the Lionheart would have two massive Trabucos constructed to aid his invasion of Acre. In Europe the weapon would transcend from a barrier breaker into a weapon of mass destruction. Europeans would add a counterbalance they called a blunderbuss to the weapon; the counterbalance would allow for heavier objects. Three hundred years after its development the Trabuco would be able to launch projectiles weighing 2000 pounds.

Dick DeVos just joined the political arena last year, and already, he is working with the FAA for future growth in the aviation industry. A long time pilot and aviation enthusiast, DeVos has always worked within the aviation industry as a partner, connecting airline executives with airport CEOs and even sponsoring education facilities to spur new growth in pilot careers.

The Federal Aviation Administration started the Management Advisory Council last year in September 2017. The council contains 13 people from airline executives to transportation authorities who will advise the FAA on what to do next for budgets, future growth, regulations, and policies. While the aviation industry has recently stabilized, jobs are still in crisis mode for pilots as the rate of pay has decreased drastically. There are other things that the industry has to keep up with as well, such as the amount of digital technology.

DeVos has been working alongside the CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport for some time. It all started in the 1990s when DeVos began looking at his hometown of Grand Rapids as a place of economic growth. He wanted the city to have the best chance for economic growth. Through the DeVos Family Foundation and Grand Action, a committee created for the business leaders in town, DeVos began to build up areas around the city, including downtown business district where he could create the DeVos Performing Arts Center and DeVos Convention Center.

However, he wanted to look into things that would create global economy for Grand Rapids. While the Gerald R. Ford Airport has been around since the early 1900s, it re-launched in 1999. The CEO called on DeVos to help him with expansion and bring in new flights. DeVos had connections to the CEO of Air Tran Airways and began to talk to the CEO about expanding new terminals at the airport, including flights to Vegas, Orlando, St. Louis, and Denver.

The new flights allowed the airport to expand into new areas for passengers and attracted new business. Eventually this led to a $45 million expansion that included a new food court, business center, and new technology in terminals. The new technology allowed for smartphones to connect to WiFi and included charging stations.

The latest appointment comes after DeVos has been working to get into the political arena for some time in Michigan. However, he was not able to become governor in 2006. Instead, he has worked on other projects and run The Windquest Group. As the former President and CEO of Amway, Dick has done a lot to build up the areas around his hometown as well as those around Amway sites. He continues to be a business leader who cares about his customers and partnerships.

Now that DeVos is in Capitol Hill, he will still have plenty of time to work with children at the aviation academy he runs on the Gerald R. Ford Airport campus.

Flavio Maluf is high-ranking executive of the Eucatex company in Brazil. He joined the firm more than three decades ago. Maluf has served in the trade, industrial and sales sectors of the company before his appointment as president. Below are some of Flavio Maluf’s insights into tax incentives and the impact they have on societies and businesses.

What is the point of fiscal incentive laws asks Flavio Maluf? He answers that they are meant to spur the economic and social development of the nation. Maluf admits that many entrepreneurs struggle in launching new businesses in Brazil. This is because of high taxation and regulation.

What is the solution to this? Flavio Maluf believes it is fiscal incentive laws that give new businesses breaks from the heavy tax and regulation burdens that would be imposed on them by the government. Fiscal incentive laws can be made to target a certain sector says the Eucatex executive. For example, laws can be made that will target the medical, scientific or technological industry. The goal of these incentives would be to foster innovation in these sectors that can help society and other sectors of the economy.

Under standard taxation, money goes directly to the government. In Brazil, there is a lot of corruption and management. In general, it can be said that governments often squander any money they receive. The situation is perhaps especially severe in Brazil.

Fiscal incentive laws divert money from the government and instead let it flow directly to businesses, consumers, and society in general. With lower tax burdens, companies can invest in more equipment. They can also hire more people. Higher wages may result as well.

A lower tax burden can mean can also mean that companies can lower prices. This means that the consumer will benefit. Higher wages and low prices can mean greater disposable income. This means an improving economy.

The concept of a tax or fiscal incentive is pretty simple states Flavio Maluf. It can span varying levels of scope. For example, it can be on a city-wide scale, an industrial scale or even a national scale. The scope of the fiscal incentive laws depends on the government policy and goals.

Bradesco bank ruled the Brazilian banking sector from the early 1940s until they were overtaken by their competitors in 2009. Itau and Unibanco were two main banks that were competing with Bradesco bank. The two banks formed a merger in 2009, thus destabilizing the waters in the delicate banking sector. With the new union, they were able to beat Bradesco bank with the number of branches, customer base and also assets.

Ever since it was established in the early 1940s by Amador Aguiar, Bradesco bank has pioneered many modern banking products. It is the first bank to introduce the ATM biometric system in the country. The system offers added security features for the customers where it uses customers’ fingerprints to complement their passwords. Bradesco is also the first bank to introduce internet banking in Brazil. Other services that the bank has pioneered include the use of credit cards and pension plan services.

Bradesco bank is considered as the largest lender in Latin America providing their customers with both personal and commercial loans. The bank serves both small and high-end customers and also businesses. Besides banking products, Bradesco bank also provides insurance through their pensions and insurance division known as Bradesco Seguros.

Much of the bank’s success can be attributed to the fine breed of leadership in their various branches. Bradesco bank is fortunate to have some of the best brains in the banking industry. With the likes of Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi, and Octavio de Lazari, and Lazaro Brandao, the bank can only continue to lift their excellence bar higher.

Luiz Carlos Trabuco became the chairman of the bank after the 91-year-old Lazaro Brandao stepped down towards the end of last year. Before his appointment, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi was the president of the bank who had served in that capacity since 2009. Mr. Brandao personally appointed Luiz following his immense experience and success while working in various departments in the bank.

Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi rose from the position of a bank clerk to join Bradesco’s inner leadership circle after serving in the bank for only fifteen years. Luiz who studied Philosophy and Letters joined the institution at the age of 17 years as an intern. Within the next decade and a half, he was promoted to head the marketing department.

As a known achiever, he introduced numerous changes in the marketing department that brought the company back to its feet within a short time. Under his leadership, the customer relations at the bank greatly improved thus attracting and retaining more customers. He also managed to open the bank to the media in a bid to build a positive image of the bank.

When he led Bradesco Seguros as CEO from 2003, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi pushed the pension and insurance division to become the best in Latin America. Currently, this division contributes up to 30 percent of the entire institution’s revenues. When he was tapped to become the president, Luiz was succeeded by Octavio de Lazari, an equally talented and experienced executive at the bank. With the duo sitting at the helm of the bank, we can only expect Bradesco bank to become better.